Da Vinci's Diary Entries (Series 3 + Bonus Scenes)

Deleted Scenes #2

From Entry 11.3: "United As One"
Backstory
Sir Samuel's POV

"Alright, boys, it's time for our monthly sparing match!" The general had called. Naturally, all the young nobles were excitedly gathering in the sand pit and snatching their wooden training swords. It was written on their faces: they had valor to prove and balls to flash off.

I wasn't like them, for two reasons in particular. First of all, these "sparing matches" weren't real war; in real war, I knew that the stupid rules of the knight code did not always apply - in other words, sometimes you had to become as dirty as your opponents. And secondly, I was set apart from my peers as the prince. Everybody knew it: Samuel was the prince, and naturally he was expected to overcome everybody else. That happened anyways, because I was smarter than all the knights here.

It definitely wasn't something to brag about, though, because they were just plain stupid. Had one of them been smart, everything would have been over for me. My integrity was the only thing going for me; I was weak, at a loss of confidence, flat-out shy, had no friends, and to top it all off, my eyesight was failing me. So I was thankful that I had a decent head on my shoulders, no doubt a benefit of all the millions of books I'd read.

But one nobleman's son couldn't accept the fact that I was plain clever. Unlike the others, he spent night upon night training with the general and boosting all his talents. He was quiet like I, except in his eyes I could see the dark, corrupting glimmer of ambition and greed. He carried a concealed firearm that shot spite and arrogance at whatever knight engaged him; to ladies, he was as soft and gentle as a feather. What a douche, I'd always think when I passed one of his sad attempts at picking up a female.

To sum it up, we were natural enemies, and I hated dealing with him with the strongest goddamn passion.

So as everyone gathered, it was no surprise that directly across the circle from me, I beheld a look of disdain that a certain knight-in-training shot at me. Refusing to let his idiotic childishness irritate me, I turned my attention to the general, who had called two other boys to the center of the circle.

As the two clashed in a front-and-center battle, I felt an icy glare shoot through me. God, what does the fuckin' bastard want now?! I made only a glance over his way, to see him raise his arm and clasp it in his hand, in one of those gestures that was supposed to be threatening or some kind of dumb shit like that. What a pussy....

I flashed him a middle finger, annoyed, and pulled it away just before the general glanced between the both of us. I wasn't scared or anything, it was just a coincidence. But I almost audibly groaned at his next call, though....

"Lukas and Samuel, you're up!"

Glancing across the circle, I watched as a grin of approval flickered on Lukas's face. The boy marched to the center and rolled his shoulders back so as to puff out his chest. Sighing, I followed his example. Of all the people I'd have to fight...why did the teacher choose this asshole, that absolutely everybody knows hates me?!

But I didn't have much time to think before the general called the sparring to begin, and Lukas shot at me. Thinking quick, I launched out of the way and tried to capture an idea of his stance. There had to be an open spot on him, somewhere.

I cursed my awful eyesight as everything was a blur, especially since he rushed me again through thick clouds of sand-dust. Already close to the ground from my last dodge, it was easy for me to go low and sweep his legs out from under him with a kick. But he seemed to anticipate it; he dove behind me before I had a chance to touch him and rammed his hilt into my back.

With nowhere else to go, I went forward. Collapsing on the ground, my head was dizzy. Things weren't looking very good for me; I couldn't think straight with him attacking so fast. About time he'd finally overcome my wit.